Windy.app fishing features — quick reference
⏱ ~6 min read
Decide where and when to fish next with weather, marine, and fishing data. Pick places where fish are present and active — and where you'll be safe.
You won't have to check every parameter every time — just incorporate a few things into your routine. For example:
It's not a guarantee, but it'll increase your chances a lot.
Navigation — jump to any section:
Three layers help narrow down where fish may be — from a large area down to a few spots worth checking.
Depth changes light, temperature, oxygen, food, and safety, so fish are often easier to find around changes in underwater terrain: ledges, channels, drop-offs, holes, and contours.
Same logic on lakes and rivers — look for holes, bends, channels, or places where the current changes.
Fish Heatmap is a shortcut: it's based on the depth map (not temperature), and flags areas where the terrain changes sharply, so you can spot structure at a glance.
Open Fish Heatmap in app →Fish Heatmap not available in your area? Read Water Depth directly and look for contour lines that are close together.
Look at a depth map of your usual spot. In which areas does the depth change quickly?
Depth tells you where fish may be. Water Temperature tells you where they may be today — the water needs to be warm enough to stay active, cool enough to hold oxygen, and comfortable enough for their food too.
Beyond the numbers, look for places where temperature changes quickly over a short distance. These fronts mark the boundary between water masses, and baitfish and predators often concentrate around them.
Especially useful for coastal and offshore fishing. Higher chlorophyll generally means more phytoplankton → zooplankton → baitfish → larger predators.
We're not looking for the highest chlorophyll value — the useful signal is usually the edge, the boundary between more productive and cleaner water.
Ideally, several things line up: the right depth and its rapid change, a suitable water temperature, a nearby temperature break, and — for offshore or coastal fishing — a chlorophyll edge.
On a chlorophyll layer, where's the productive edge — and does it line up with a temperature break nearby?
Once you know where to look, these layers help you pick the hours worth going.
Check the map itself before picking the exact spot and time — it shows conditions nearby, not just the point you tapped, which covers you if the forecast is slightly off spatially.
Use the play button to see how conditions shift over the day.
Official fishing spots (marked with the two-fish icon) give fishing-specific data: Solunar score, weather, temperature, pressure, and hourly fish activity.
Scroll down for fish library, top species, and catch reports — local clues like bottom type or nearby structure, especially useful for unfamiliar spots.
Swipe between days, then switch to 1-hour steps to narrow the window.
For saltwater fishing, don't look only at high or low tide — look for moving water.
Both directions can work — the key isn't the tide's name, it's that the water is moving.
Complex shoreline? Check the nearest tide station — local measurements can be more reliable than a general estimate.
Low light often gives fish more confidence to feed, especially predators. The best windows happen when low light overlaps with moving water, suitable temperature, or manageable wind — dawn, dusk, and cloudy periods can extend that feeding window.
Wind cuts both ways: light or moderate wind creates ripple, pushes bait, and makes fish less cautious; strong wind makes casting, drifting, or boating harder, and sometimes unsafe. Check direction too — it shows which shorelines are exposed and which are protected.
A little rain is rarely a problem. Thunderstorms, fast-moving fronts, or heavy rain can change your plan entirely. Fish may bite better right before rain — just watch how much is actually coming.
Now look for overlap — a good window lines up moving water, low light or cloud cover, manageable wind, no storms, and conditions that fit your target species.
Given tides, precipitation, light, and wind for a day — what's the best time to go?
Starting from the map:
Starting from a known spot:
Once you know where and what you might target, check season, size limits, bag limits, and license requirements.
Regulations are available for official fish spots. If you're looking at a place (not a spot), go back to the map and check fishing spots nearby, marked by the two-fish icon.
Right before heading out:
The forecast helps you plan. The final check helps you avoid surprises.
Everything from this guide, in one list. Skip anything you already have figured out.
You don't need all of it at once. Pick one thing you haven't tried before, and use it next time you go out.
Good luck out there!